Reforming Worship

Worship is the right, fitting, and delightful response of moral beings—angelic and human—to God the Creator, Redeemer, and Consummator, for who he is as one eternal God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and for what he has done in creation and redemption, and for what he will do in the coming consummation, to whom be all praise ...

The Reformed tradition of worship in England has given the English-speaking world the Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God, and the hymns of Isaac Watts. In this collection of essays, scholars and ministers who are inheritors of this tradition reflect on the continuities, innovations, and tensions in Reformed worship and their lived expression in contemporary church life. Among the tensions explored is that between order and freedom in worship, and the bold contention is made that "ordered freedom" is the scriptural mark of the church's worship and the character of all good liturgy, for "order is love in regulative operation" (Anglican- Reformed International Commission). This collection of essays on the theology, history, and practice of Reformed worship also includes examples of psalmody, liturgy, and a sermon.

“What is at stake is authenticity. . . . Sooner or later Christians tire of public meetings that are profoundly inauthentic, regardless of how well (or poorly) arranged, directed, performed. We long to meet, corporately, with the living and majestic God and to offer him the praise that is his due.”—D. A. CarsonWorship is a hot topic, but the ways that Christians from different traditions view it vary greatly. What is worship? More important, what does it look like in action, both in our corporate gatherings and in our daily lives? These concerns—the blending of principle and practice—are what Worship by the Book addresses.Cutting through cultural clichés, D. A. Carson, Mark Ashton, Kent Hughes, and Timothy Keller explore, respectively:· Worship Under the Word· Following in Cranmer’s Footsteps· Free Church Worship: The Challenge of Freedom· Reformed Worship in the Global City “This is not a comprehensive theology of worship,” writes Carson. “Still less is it a sociological analysis of current trends or a minister’s manual chockfull of ‘how to’ instructions.” Rather, this book offers pastors, other congregational leaders, and seminary students a thought-provoking biblical theology of worship, followed by a look at how three very different traditions of churchmanship might move from this theological base to a better understanding of corporate worship. Running the gamut from biblical theology to historical assessment all the way to sample service sheets, Worship by the Book shows how local churches in diverse traditions can foster corporate worship that is God-honoring, Word-revering, heartfelt, and historically and culturally informed.

The Reformed tradition of worship in England has given the English-speaking world the Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God, and the hymns of Isaac Watts. In this collection of essays, scholars and ministers who are inheritors of this tradition reflect on the continuities, innovations, and tensions in Reformed worship and their lived expression in contemporary church life. Among the tensions explored is that between order and freedom in worship, and the bold contention is made that "ordered freedom" is the scriptural mark of the church's worship and the character of all good liturgy, for "order is love in regulative operation" (Anglican- Reformed International Commission). This collection of essays on the theology, history, and practice of Reformed worship also includes examples of psalmody, liturgy, and a sermon.

This Call for the doxological reformation of the church is offered to "ministers who lead their congregations in worship, musicians who seek a deeper understanding of the spiritual purpose of their work, [and] seminary students who are clarifying their commitment to biblical worship..." Give Praise to God continues the legacy of James Montgomery Boice by examining the biblical foundations for worship, the warranted elements of corporate worship, worship in the home and in all of life, and worship throughout the ages. Contributors, in addition to the editors, are Marion Clark, Edmund Clowney, Mark Dever, William Edgar, Robert Godfrey, Michael Horton, Terry Johnson, Paul Jones, Albert Mohler, N. R. Needham, Hughes Old, Richard Phillips, and Donald Whitney. Not all agree on every particular, nor do readers need to in order to benefit from these thoughtful discussions of how to worship God biblically. Book jacket.

This book introduces Reformed theology by surveying the doctrinal concerns that have shaped its historical development. The book sketches the diversity of the Reformed tradition through the past five centuries even as it highlights the continuity with regard to certain theological emphases. In so doing, it accentuates that Reformed theology is marked by both formal ('the always reforming church') and material ('the Reformed church') interests. Furthermore, it attends to both revisionary and conservative trends within the Reformed tradition. The book covers eight major theological themes: Word of God, covenant, God and Christ, sin and grace, faith, worship, confessions and authority, and culture and eschatology. It engages a variety of Reformed confessional writings, as well as a number of individual theologians (including Zwingli, Calvin, Bullinger, Bucer, Beza, Owen, Turretin, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Hodge, Shedd, Heppe, Bavinck, Barth, and Niebuhr).

One of the slogans of the reformation was ecclesia reformata semper reformanda – 'the reformed church always reforming'. Churches throughout the western world are currently engaged in reform and renewal programmes through internal structural reforms as well as movements such as 'emerging church'. This book presents a challenging theology of church reform and renewal that offers a contemporary understanding of this historic slogan. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Bradbury discerns processes and practices which are perpetually reforming and renewing the identity of the church. It examines doctrinal and confessional conceptions of the church, re-examines texts concerned with covenantal renewal and explores Jewish-Christian dialogue as an example of renewal. A constructive theology is offered utilizing the categories of collective memory and mimetic practice. This upholds fundamental Christian identity, whilst driving the process of reform and renewal under God in the context of a three-way relationship between God, the church and the world.

Worship renewal is now on the agenda of many Reformed churches, as the need for adaptation and new approaches is acutely felt all over. How can the church faithfully worship God in the midst of rapidly changing situations? How can it constructively relate to widely differing cultural contexts? What is its place in the wider ecumenical scene? In preparing a sweeping survey of Reformed worship across time and place, this volume provides some help to those engaged with vital questions like these. Written by theologians and liturgical scholars from a wide range of churches and countries, these chapters explore the history of Reformed worship on every continent from the sixteenth century to the present. Surveying the most significant developments in the growth of Reformed worship, the book identifies the major "ingredients" that make the Reformed worship tradition distinctive and highlights those aspects of Reformed worship that are particularly relevant to present efforts at renewal. Indeed, an important component of this book is the inclusion of "A Common Reflection on Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Today," the result of a major consultation in January 2001 at the International Reformed Center John Knox. Revealing the rich variety of forms and diversity of perspectives that have made and do make up Reformed worship worldwide, this volume will be a valuable resource for church and worship leaders both in and outside the Reformed family. Contributors: Hor ace T. Allen Jr. Emily R. Brink Livingstone Buama Coenraad Burger Bruno Bürki Gerson Correia de Lacerda Alan D. Falconer, Kasonga wa Kasonga Baranite T. Kirata Elsie Anne McKee Seong-Won Park Ester Pudjo Widiasih Alan P. F. Sell Joseph D. Small Bryan D. Spinks Leonora Tubbs Tisdale Lukas Vischer Isaiah Wahome Muita Geraldine Wheeler Marsha M. Wilfong John D. Witvliet